Apparatus for mining in frozen earth.



J.YE. STUART.

APPARATUS FUR MINING IN FROZEN EARTH.

(Application filed Mar. 24, 1898.)

No. 635,522. Patented Oct. 24, |899.

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No. 635,522. Patented oct.,24, |899.

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APPARATUS FR MINING IN FROZEN EARTH.

(Application filed Mar. 24, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Shats--Sheet 2.

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BY AVA/1^' YQ/1M ATTORNEYS.

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STATES APPARATUS FOR MINING IN FROZEN EARTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,522, dated October 24, 1899.

Application led March 24, 1 8 9 8.

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known thatI, JOHN E STUART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winchester,

in the county of Riverside and State of Cali-l fornia, have inventedicertain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Mining in Frozen Earth, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had tov the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for mining where the ground is frozen; and my invention consists in certain features of novelty hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure I is in part a side elevation and in part a vertical section showing my improved apparatus. Fig. II is a sectional view taken on line II II, Fig. III, showing my improved earth-auger. Fig. III is a top view of the auger. Fig. IV is a bottom view ofthe auger. Fig. V is a detail vertical section showing my means for heating the side walls and paydirt of the mine. Fig. V is a detail vertical section showing my means for thawing.

the side walls of the shaft. Fig. VI is a vertical section taken on line VI VI, Fig. VII, showing my means for thawing the pay-dirt which has been removed from the mine. Fig. VII is a horizontal section taken on line VII VII, Fig. VI, showing distribution of heating-pipes in the pile of pay-dirt or dump.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the frozen earth, into which a vertical shaft 2 has been drilled.

3 represents my improved drill or earthauger for boring the shaft. This auger consists, preferably, of an annular iange 4, having an interior cross-plate 5, to which are secured a number of cutting-teeth 6 7, said cutting-teeth extending slightly below the lower edge of the annular ange 4, the teeth 6 be; ing straight and the teeth 7 being curved and extending beneath the outer edge of the annular flange 4, said curved teeth cutting the earth on a line with the outer surface of the ange 4 and throwing the loosened earth inwardly toward the center of the auger.

8 represents a radial cutting-blade secured to a radial depending flange 9 of the crossplate 5. There may be any number of cutting-blades 8 found to be desirable. I have Serial No. 675,005. (No model.)

side of the cross-plate 5, ll representing a radial trap-door or valve which opens to pressure from the under side of the auger and which closes from pressure on the upper side, and thus prevents the dirt from falling out.

12 represents a V- shaped bracket located centrally between the inner ends of the cut.- ting-plates 8, said bracket serving to assist in loosening the earth as the auger descends.

13 represents a cylinder of the same size in transverse section as theA annular flange 4, said cylinder having its lower end resting in a rabbet or recess upon said flange 4. The cylinder is secured to the cross-plate 5 of the auger by means of bolts 14, extending through angular lugs l5 on the cylinder and secured by nuts 16, the cnice of the cylinder 13 being to hold the loosened earth until the auger is Withdrawn from the shaft, at which time by removing the nuts 16 the cylinder 13 maybe raised in order to more readily discharge the dirt from the auger.

17 represents a hollow shaft having its lower end connected with the cross-plate 5 of the auger, said hollow shaft being made in suitable sect-ions, with couplings 18 for connecting the sections together, so that said hollow shaft may be lengthened as the auger travels downwardly.

19 represents the casing formed in sections having suitable couplings, such as shown at 20, for connecting the sections together, the lower end of said casing being provided with sharpened blades 2l, which cut their wayinto the earth as the casing descends, sufticient sections of casing being added as the earth is removed `by the auger and the casing travels downwardly.

22 represents the operating-shaft, which is also hollow and which has its lower` end connected with the hollow auger-shaft 17. The operating-shaft 22 is provided with a longitudinal groove 23, said groove admitting the usual feather placed upon the inside of a gearwheel, so as to admit of longitudinal movement of the operating-shaft within the geara l i 635,522

wheel, but which will prevent the operatingshaft from turning unless the gear-wheel is turned.

24 represents a beveled gear-wheel through which the operating-shaft 22 extends, said gearwheel 24 being supported by crossframes 25, secured to a derrck-frame 2G.

27 represents a spur beveled gear-wheel mounted on a counter-shaft 28, said countershaft 28 also supporting a gear-wheel 29,which meshes with a gear-wheel 30 on a drivingshaft 31, 32 representing a crank-handle on the driving-shaft 3l, by the turning of which power is conveyed through the gearing described to the operating-shaft 22 for rotating the same and operating the earth-auger.

34 represents a pulley on the driving-shaft 3l, by which means, if desired, a power mechanism may be connected for operating the auger.

35 represents an auxiliary frame for supporting the gear-wheels and shafts last mentioned. 'When the au ger becomes full of dirt, it is necessary to remove the same and discharge the dirt. Any suitable means maybe used for this purpose. I have shown one means of doing the same, which consists of a rope 36, attached to a ring 37, located at the upper end of the operating-shaft 22, said rope 36 passing over bearing-pulleys 38 and being connected with a windlass 39 for either raising or lowering the operating-shaft 22, and with it the hollow auger-shaft and the auger itself.

As it is practically impossible to bore through frozen earth without in some way softening the same, one of the essential features of my invention is to overcome this difticulty. I do not confine myself to the element that may be used for softening or thawing the frozen dirt; but I prefer the use of steam, and in carrying out my improved method I provide a steam-boiler-such, for instance, as shown at 40with a connectingpipe 41 leading to and connected with a steamcup 42, said cup being located on the upper end of the hollow operating-shaft 22. By this means steam is passed down through the operating-shaft and the auger-shaft and comes out on the under side of the auger, beneath the blade 5, where it is confined and where it covers the hollow space to be cut away by the auger, thus thawing the earth and permitting the auger to travel downwardly. Vhen the auger has reached what is commonly known as pay-dirt, (indicated at 43,) said pay-dirt being frequently mixed with boulders, (shown at 44,) I withdraw the auger and place a cap 45 over the upper end of the casing 19 and connect the steam-pipe 41 with the interior of the casing, discharging the steam into the same, thus thawing out the pay-dirt and the side walls of the shaftsurroundingthe casing. Whenthawed to a sufficient degree, I withdraw the casing from its position, as shown in Fig. V, and remove the thawed dirt from the sides of the shaft and the thawed pay-dirt at the bottom of the shaft, which affords a sufficient size of shaft, as shown in Fig. V, to enable the operator to commence drilling horizontally in the side walls of the shaft. I first drill holes 46, radiating from the side walls of the shaft, said holes slanting inwardly and downwardly, so as to drain any surplus of water arising from the condensation of the steam. After the holes have been drilled I insert steam-pipes 47, connected with a vertical steam-pipe 48, which in turn is connected at its upper end with the supply steam pipe 4l, steam being thus discharged into the holes 46, thawing out the dirt laterally above the pay-dirt for a short distance, and also thawing out the paydirt, gravel, a-nd stones and permitting the same to be removed. To prevent the accumulation of water arising from the condensed steam, I provide a steam-trap 49, with which the vertical pipe 48 is connected, and as the steam is condensed the water travels back through the radially-extending pipes 47 and will pass into said steam-trap 49.

50 represents a discharge-pipe having its lower end connected with the steam-trap 49 and leading to any suitable point, whereby when the trap 49 has become full of water a valve 5l in the pipe 50 may be opened and allow the steam to drive the water out of said steam-trap, after which time said valve 51 may be closed and the operation repeated. It will be seen that after one of the lateral holes has been thawed out a sufficient amount to permit the operator to work the pipe 47 may be changed to another one of the holes and the operation of removing the pay-dirt and the thawing process may all go on at the same time.

Another feature of my invention is to provide a means for thawing out the dump or paydirt after it has been removed from the shaft, in order that the same may be worked at a much earlier time than would be the case if it were left to nature to do the thawing. To accomplish this end, I provide a series of coils or convolutions 52 of steam-pipe, which are inserted at suitable intervals in the dump 53, so that by passing steam through said pipes the dump may be thawed and rendered in condition for washing the dirt in order to remove the valuable mineral.

I claim as my invention- 1. An apparatus for mining in frozen earth comprising an auger consisting of an annular flange having an interior cross-plate formed with a radial opening and with a radial depending iiange projecting beneath the opening, and a radial cutting-plate secured to the depending flange, a cylinder, angular lugs andbolts whereby the cylinder is secured to the cross-plate, a hollow shaft secured to the cross-plate whereby the auger is supported and a centrally-located V- shaped bracket secured pendently to the cross-plate beneath the hollow shaft and orosswise of the radial opening; substantially as described.

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2. An apparatus for mining in frozen earth comprising an auger consisting of an annular iiange having an interior cross-plate formed with a radial opening, and with a radial depending ilange projecting beneath the opening, a radial trap-door or Valve controlling the radial opening, and a radial cutting-plate secured to the depending iiange, a cylinder, angular lugs and bolts whereby the cylinder is secured to the cross-plate, a hollow shaft secured to the cross-plate whereby the auger is supported and a centrally-located V-shaped bracket secured pendently to the cross-plate beneath the hollow shaft and crosswise of the radial opening; substantially as described.

3. Anapparatus for mining in frozen earth comprising an auger consisting of an annular iange having an interior cross-plate formed with radial openings, and with radial depending flanges projecting beneath the openings, radial trap-doors or Valves controlling the radial openings and radial cutting-plates secured to the depending iianges, a cylinder, angular lugs and bolts whereby the cylinder is secured to the cross-plate, a hollow shaft secured to the cross-plate, whereby the auger is supported, and a centrally-located V-shaped bracket secured pendently to the cross-plate, beneath the hollow shaft and crosswise of the radial openings; substantially as described.

The foregoing specification signed at Los Angeles, California, this 3d day of March, 1898.

JOHN E. STUART.

VIn presence of- J. W. KEMP, HENRY E. BRETT. 

